Snacks and Skills

Some are devout listeners. Some are just discovering it. Some listen in their cars. Some access it on an app. Some are aged under 20. Some are aged over 50. The undeniable constants are that public radio listeners, in the millions, consume one or more public radio products on a daily basis, and clearly represent a significant demographic of the general public. Further, in times of changing media options and interests, innovation in public radio must be proactive, dynamic, and reflective of the needs of diverse markets.

It’s been several weeks now since I started as an Innovation Fellow at Arizona State University. I can without a doubt say that I love my job for many reasons. I am constantly challenged to design and create meaningful initiatives for the university. Though I am enjoying the fellowship, I have also begun to identify skills required for my job that I have never developed. To be honest, admitting these weaknesses does not come naturally.

What are your greatest transferrable skills? How do you market those skills to your future employer? Are you an agile learner, and if so, how do you leverage such a skill in the job hunt? These are the questions explored in UI’s June Snacks and Skills. To see the entire presentation, access the Prezi.

June Snacks and Skills also touched on a particular skillset termed as learning agility. Known as the ability to adapt, learn from past experiences and feedback and embrace innovation and change, Korn Ferry Talent and Leadership Consulting considers learning agility to be the top predictor of long-term professional success. Through their longitudinal study of business executives, they found that higher an individual’s level of learning ability correlated with greater advancement: Highly learning agile individuals averaged three more promotions in a ten-year period.

For March Snacks and Skills, UI received an audit… on our LinkedIn profiles. Thanks to Barbara Aarestad, an expert career advisor in ASU’s Career Services on the Polytechnic Campus, we got to see how we measured up on the business-oriented social network. Marketability on LinkedIn is critical, as two people per second join LinkedIn, further saturating a pool of over 227+ million users looking for opportunities. Barbara evaluated critical parts of our profiles and gave overall information about how we can best utilize LinkedIn. Below are five lessons learned:

UI embraced true Snack and Skill synergy for its April Snacks and Skills presentation, “Brain Food and Mood Food”. When it comes to your level of alertness, memory effectiveness, cognitive ability and overall mood, the food you consume plays a major role. And in a fast-paced environment like UI, staying alert, focused and mentally prepared is critical to quality, timely outcomes.

So, what makes for great brain food? We must first consider a few facts about the brain:

2014 has gotten off to a tremendously busy start—so busy, in fact, that I have fallen behind on my blog posts!

In mid-January, we kicked off the Spring Snacks and Skills with the topic Ergonomics in the Workplace. Rick Bauer, Program Manager in the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, walked our office through the importance of ergonomics, best postures and practices, and preventative measures and resources for optimal health and wellness.

What is ergonomics, and why is it important?

This Valentine’s Day, UI celebrated with a very special Snacks and Skills. Our own resident expert, Trevor J. Eagle, led the group through an introduction of Happiness and Positive Psychology. This discussion provided mindful reflection on how to reach authentic happiness and live a full life.

Components of a Full Life

1. Pleasant life: Acting on what is pleasurable and enjoyable to you.
Activity: Map out your ideal day, then live it out and savor it!

This month’s Snacks and Skills centered on Stress Management and Resiliency- perfectly timed for the hectic holiday season! I’d like to thank our special guest, ASU Employee Assistance Counselor Amber Wonder, for presenting on the topic.

The conversation centered on a series of questions. What is stress? When do you feel stressed? How do you know you are stressed? Is all stress bad? How do we overcome stress? Amber touched on each of these questions and gave us concrete examples of best stress management practices.